How to choose an undergraduate major?

Hey everyone! My name is Yihan Sun. Sorry for starting off with a serious topic, but I am sure many undergraduate students will find it as something they have to think about in the near future. 

Unlike universities in China or other Asian countries, undergraduate students in the U.S. have privileges to change majors as many times as they want until they find their perfect fits. Therefore, you may find your incoming classmates as “undecided majors.” Some people treat this privilege as an advantage, while some may find this freedom confusing or even frustrating. I belonged to the latter group. To re-orientate myself, I asked the following questions that helped me make a reasonable decision.

What am I interested in?

This question helps you reflect on what you enjoy studying and doing. For me, Biology was my favorite class in high school. I find Biology is a fascinating field that is constantly changing and shaping how we see the nature. And I believe Biology can have a big impact on human well-being.

What is my ultimate goal?

This question helps you match your interest with a major that can prepare you for your dream career. For me, I hoped to help patients by taking advantages of our advanced knowledge in Biology. So, a health care profession sounded good to me. Then, I found out that a Biology degree could prepare me for any type of health care professional schools after graduation.

Am I open-minded?

This question helps you think about possible alternative majors. If possible, try to take some classes that you may not think you would like initially. You may find you change your mind later. At UM, you can drop or add classes until the end of the third week of each semester. You can use this grace period to see different classes.

Where can I get help?

This question helps you think whether a major is right for you. Talking to your academic advisor and professor, taking hands-on experiences like volunteering and internship, and connecting with alumni are ways to get useful insights. For me, I volunteered at the outpatient pharmacy in the Iowa City VA Hospital and also worked on a research project with a cancer biology professor for my honors thesis. I enjoyed these experiences, and I thought Biology and pre-Pharmacy were the right majors for me.

Where do I want to work after graduation?

This question is especially helpful for international students. If you want to work in your home country, you may choose a major that will help you launch a career there. If you want to work in the U.S., you may want to explore majors for jobs that are in high demand.

I hope these questions would be helpful when you are thinking about your major! While searching your major, you probably will meet professors fairly often. How to interact with them? How to get help from them? In the next few weeks, I will have a blog about how to develop a good relationship with your professor. Stay tuned! J

Written by Yihan Sun, Pharmacy professional student (Pharm.D) at UM

Bachelor of Sciences in Biology, the University of Iowa (2007-2011)